Hermione Granger huffed lightly at Ginny Weasley, who was trying to make Hermione "face the facts". Hermione thought she'd finally lost Ginny, when she was pulled behind a tapestry that hid a hidden passageway. "Ouch." Hermione said grumpily.
"Hermione…please…just hear me out." Ginny pleaded.
"Fine." Hermione said crossly.
Ginny nodded and smiled brightly. "You two are always together. You two protect each other all the time. You cannot stand the thought of a world without him, so you help him with literally everything. And…you can't say no to him, like ever." Ginny said gently.
"And your point is?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You like him…" Ginny said. "I'm your best girl friend…don't lie to me Hermione Jean Granger."
Hermione sighed lightly, "Fine…I do like Harry. I cannot help it…" she said quietly.
"Really?" Hermione froze at the boy's voice. She didn't have to look passed the tapestry to know it was Harry. He pushed the tapestry away and looked at Hermione with wide eyes. Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes and she shoved passed him, thankful she had her winter coat on she ran outside. She looked all around and saw Buckbeak at the edge of the forest. Buckbeak had been returned to Hagrid, and happily living on the grounds, enjoying himself. Hermione walked out to him and bowed lightly. He bowed back and she began to pet him gently.
"Oh Buckbeak, it's just awful. Harry knows now. I can't face him…He'll make fun of me…or tell me I'm not his type or something. It'll kill me." She said quietly. The hippogriff nudged her gently and she nodded. She walked over to the broom shed and sat down in there, and closed the door.
"Hermione!" Hermione pulled her head off her knees, looking around groggily. She'd gone in there to think and keep warm, and had ended up falling asleep. She stood as the voice got closer. She couldn't tell if it was Harry or not. She walked across the shed to open the door, but the door was yanked open, she jumped back in surprise and saw Harry standing in the doorway, and Buckbeak lying beside the door.
"Harry!" she gasped.
Before she could say anything else, Harry pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. "Don't scare me like that again!" he said as he tightened his grip on her. "You had me worried to death!" Harry said.
Hermione nodded and finally hugged him back. It felt like an eternity before they finally let go and Harry took Hermione's hand into his. "Harry?" she asked.
"You ran away before I could tell you…" he said, his cheeks going a little red.
"Tell me what?" she asked.
Harry leaned forward and pushed some of her hair away from her ear, "I like you too Hermione." He whispered before kissing her on the cheek. "Now let's go get some food."